Jan. 4, 1962—Four downtown businesses and a warehouse were destroyed in a bad fire in Hartselle early this morning. The location of the fire was the 100 block of East Main and the businesses devastated were Crystal Grill, Pop’s Shooting Gallery, Sivley’s Grocery, and Tidwell Radio and TV. None of the affected business buildings was insured, according to the owner, former Hartselle Postmaster John Cooper. The loss to Mr. Cooper was about $50,000. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.

Jan. 4, 1962—Several local members of the Morgan County Democratic Women group were in Huntsville at noon today for a luncheon hosted by their Madison County counterparts at the Russell Erskine Hotel.

Jan. 4, 1962—Family members are remembering that today would have been W. T. Stewart’s 83rd birthday. Mr. Stewart passed away last March.

Jan. 4, 1962—People who work in Huntsville are increasingly excited now that January 23 has been officially set on which Astronaut John H. Glenn is scheduled to be the first American to orbit the earth.

Jan. 5, 1962—Bobby Evans, Hartselle 4, killed two Canadian geese while hunting northeast of here early this morning.

Jan 5, 1962—Funeral services were held at Forrest Chapel Methodist Church this afternoon for Frank Wallace, 60, who died Wednesday.

Jan. 5, 1962—Cullman beat MCHS in basketball tonight in a game played there. The Tigers came out on the losing end of a 53-43 score. Don Logan was MCHS’s leading scorer with 13 points.

Jan. 6, 1962—Three Somerville young people were injured in a car wreck tonight as they tried to elude a chase being made by Morgan County sheriff’s deputies who sought to ticket the driver for speeding.

Jan. 6, 1962—The Associated Press is currently giving wide circulation to a story related to Hartselle business entrepreneur Hubert Mitchell and the plan by Mr. Mitchell and George D. Keller to begin manufacturing compact cars in Huntsville. Plans were proceeding smoothly to launch the auto industry in Alabama when tragedy struck and Mr. Keller died of a heart attack on October 5, 1949, after only 18 Keller cars had rolled off the assembly line.

Jan. 7, 1962—J. Edgar Hoover, long-time director of the FBI, spoke on TV this afternoon concerning the dangers of communism.

Jan. 7, 1962—Rock Hudson, Gina Lollabridgia, Sandra Dee, and Bobby Darin star in “Come September,” now showing at the Ranch Drive-in Theatre.

Jan. 7, 1962—MCHS is scheduled to play Cullman tomorrow night in the second game of the TVC basketball tournament being held at the Decatur gym. If they win, they will take on Deshler (which drew a bye) Wednesday night.

Jan. 8, 1962—Several residents of under-represented Alabama urban areas have filed suit in federal court asking that all state representatives be required to run at-large until they reapportion the House and Senate as required by the state Constitution. A similar suit was filed in Tennessee and a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in this case is expected sometime in the New Year.

Jan. 9, 1962—H. G. Poole, an MCHS grad, is the new foreman at the Southern Bell office on South Parkway in Huntsville. He has worked for the company for more than a decade.

Jan. 9, 1962—Many Hartselle young men could breathe a sigh of relief today as it was announced that the numbers to be drafted into the military will be considerably reduced for the next couple of months. Most current personnel goals are being met through enlistments and re-enlistments.

Jan. 9, 1962—Dorothy Hargett gave a talk tonight at the West Hartselle Baptist Church.

Jan. 10, 1962—W. E. Smith is now building a new five-room home. His building permit puts its value at $8,000.